Doctor Who goes 3D for 50th anniversary special

It's Time and Three Dimensions in Space as the BBC announces a special TV and cinema screening to celebrate the Doctor's half-century

The BBC is to add an extra dimension to a 50th anniversary Doctor Who special later this year by broadcasting it in 3D.

“It's about time,” said Steven Moffat (a hint as to the content of the episode, perhaps, as well a reference to the announcement?)

“Technology has finally caught up with Doctor Who and your television is now bigger on the inside," said the showrunner, promising "A whole new dimension of adventure for the Doctor to explore."

As with recent 3D programmes – such as those shown during the London 2012 Olympics on the BBC HD channel – the Doctor Who episode will be broadcast using some of the corporation’s High Definition capacity, and will be available to those with a 3D TV and the special glasses required to view it.

But the BBC's head of drama Ben Stephenson revealed it will also be shown in cinemas as part of the "blockbuster" celebrations.

"We are working out the logistics of that at the moment because we need to make sure the main BBC1 experience remains absolute value for money for the audience," said Stephenson.

The 50th anniversary special will not be the first time the Doctor has gone 3D. In 1993, Dimensions in Time, a two-part Children in Need special celebrating the show's 30th anniversary, used glasses with one darkened and one transparent lens to create the effect.

That particular Doctor Who adventure brought together five former Time Lords, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy. As anticipation mounts ahead of the 50th anniversary, fans will be hoping Steven Moffat has something similar up his sleeve...